UEFA 2020 Euro Championship – Day 30

It’s been interesting to hear Gareth Southgate and indeed others in the media talk about this squad being unburdened by history. Indeed I remember writing back in 2018, pondering on the impact of that loss to Croatia at the World Cup would have on that squad. Just three years later of the 26 man squad England playing at the Euros, just nine players (a little over a third) were part of that defeat and are Jordan Pickford, Kyle Walker, John Stones, Harry Maguire, Jordan Henderson, Harry Kane, Raheem Sterling, Kieran Trippier and Marcus Rashford. So given that the majority of the squad don’t have that negative experience in their locker and indeed they have seven players aged 22 or under, there is a freedom and fearlessness of youth that has served the Three Lions well during the competition to date.

At every opportunity the media have rolled out the 1996 Euro penalty miss by England boss Southgate and talked about redemption for the then Aston Villa defender. He instead has continued to focus on the job in hand, and whilst of course he will still carry those memories from that night at the ‘old’ Wembley, he responds to every media question always with his mind on the present and the objective of winning the European Championship for the first time in England’s history. Whatever happens tomorrow, he and his squad can be proud of what they have achieved. But of course, one more victory would be oh so welcome.